The end of the line
by bennet001
Summary: lancer has lived for eons and at the end of his life he is simply waiting, but for what?


The end of the line

Authors note: this is the edited version but looking through it I feel that something is off, but I can't place my finger on it. Enjoy.

Lancer has lived for eons, he's lived longer than 7 pony generations and he's nearing the end of his life, when everything is said and done what regret does the dragon hold?

Story start,

I am so tired, I've lived hundreds of years, seen so many sights, once in a lifetime opportunities have shown themselves to me. I, lancer, the strongest dragon in the known world, I who have fought gods and prevailed, I who have fought death itself and lived to see the days later, nevertheless here I am clinging to something, to a hope long forgotten, here I wonder why I continue to live, death is but mere moments away and here I cling pitifully to my life. I wonder why, why cling to my complete life? 'Maybe you just don't want to die.' Time is quite the horrible mistress even at the end of my life I still wish to live, but why? I think I'm waiting for someone, but whom?

"Ah in my old age forgetting things is a given." I allowed a darkness to overcome me a deep sleep, a smile tugged on my face a never-ending rest.

"What does old age have to do with forgetting anything young dragon?"

Time seem to linger, seeming to stop completely at how slow it slugged on. My head turned to face the intruder. I attempted to get a look at his face, but it was veiled in a deep darkness, typical in my cave, although the darkness seemed to hug the horse's fur as if clinging to his mere presence. As time resumed its natural flow, my eyes roared to life, an intruder in my personal cave. "Infidel how dare you enter this sacred place!" I roared Anger evident in my voice. How many decades has it been since I've last felt anger? This unadulterated rage was nostalgic raising my head to burn the intruder to the ground. I fired the flame a bright jade to feel the heat once again escape my lips to feel the power of the flames, its weight seemed different. I know you're probably asking "flames have weight?" maybe for you they don't, but for a dragon they can sense the weight of their flames, mine felt lighter than the flames I could release a few years prior, maybe I'm over thinking it. Man that flame must have taken more out of me then I thought it would. Looking at my handy work I looked over the flaming ground to prove the horse was now a briquette, the flame only slightly singed the ground "Humph that will show anyone who wishes to enter here." I looked to the burn mark left in the ground not a sign of the ground a light with embers, I remember when I could bake a cake, light a healthy flame for cooking, I remember when my flames could burst trees; singe large chunks of earth, Melt Mountains, now I can barely blacken the ground. 'It's close.'

"Is that all the power your flames hold now, you have lost some conviction lancer." my head snapped to the center of my attack there stood the small colt running his hooves over his fur and a black jacket he was wearing, flicking some ash off himself.

"How! There has only been one colt that could be engulfed by my flames and not be a pile of ash!" I looked to the colt, my eyes watering over as the memories returned. A wingman that never gave up, a colt that did the impossible for himself and worked miracles for those he could, a dear friend thought lost in the ages, "Cole?" I asked hopefully. reality began to set in, I'm a dragon I live for hundreds of years, they don't, they get 120 years max and then they die leaving me alone, those I cherished, those I loved, those who were my lovers, they grew old and died leaving me behind. Maybe that is a consolation in all this, when I die I will see them again maybe for a little while before they decide to move on and leave me behind even in death, maybe in another life. "No he died a long time ago if not he would have come to..." I tried to place this as a hallucination it happened often, more so than usual.

It happens the same way; I'm in a room of pure white the walls, the floor, the ceiling white. I look around to get my bearings and somehow the ground under my feet disappears and I float spinning and looking in all corners until I am staring, inverted in the air, at a purple unicorn her mane a deep Pink with a violet stripe going through the left side, she smiles at me as she trots off attempting to lead me somewhere. I try to follow but, all I can do is hobble closer my body refusing to go, she looks up at where I am her smile disappearing for a moment. A moment enough for it to send a knife through my heart. She resumes smiling as she walks closer to my direction; she is just outside my reach. She looks to the ground her eyes downcast as she begins to speak a voice resonated inside my head, but it didn't match the body she was clearly a female but the voice in my head was definitely a male. It apologized for trying to force me to come with her that there was still one thing I had to do before I could go with them and then I wake up, the dream fresh in my mind so that I see them my lovers looking at me with a wide smile on their faces. I go running to them too smother them in a hug only for them to... I can't go on. It clicked in my head the voice in the dream is the same as this colt in front of me I don't want to admit it but this was Cole, the real live Cole right here. His presence summoning the memories of my friend, lovers, wives came rushing back to me. Grabbing my chest, it hurt the pain was indescribable! It was an intense pain so much so my voice left me only to stare at the colt before me as tears welled in my eyes. The pain, a damn to hold back the tears.

"Easy big guy, you're at the end of your life but I still have a few things to show you, don't end with a heart attack that's just not cool." Cole said jokingly bringing a slight smile to my face resting his hove on my claw a soothing sensation began to run through me it was warm and pleasant sensation like a velvet cover coming over me pushing the pain in my chest away, slowly as the warmth crept over my body slowly it subside I could finally speak.

"Cole it's a great pleasure to see you. I wish it was under better circumstances."

"Not at all this was how it was meant to be. Come on outside there's something you have to see." He commanded even after all these years his voice held that subtle power that made the near dead rise behind him in renewed vigor. My cave was my most sacred area, the seclusion was not the main reason, and its content is what was important I possessed gems of undeniable quality. Diamonds that radiated light even in pitch black, sapphires that could put even the sea to shame with its shade of blue, emeralds that make the greenest of forest seem dull and monotone, those were trifles compared to the letters, pictures, and souvenirs given to me by my lovers and family. My most prized possession a single picture frame with a picture of all my friends in it they were supposed to be smiling. Looking at it while Cole grabbed my claws. Realizing I hadn't cleaned it in decades, the picture had a thick layer of dust completely concealing it. Cole led me outside, outside my cave away from my memories and possessions and I was fine with that. I never came out of my cave at night... why don't I come out of my cave at night? "Look at the sky, Lancer. The stars are shining so brightly, it is such a beautiful sight but its significance is so sad."

There were stars shining in the night, of course there are stars shining in the sky, Cole must be going as crazy as I am now, I looked humoring the colt and what I saw took my breath away a constellation of a perfect hexagon the style was oddly familiar but that knowledge was only a whisper in my mind now. They seemed so bright nearly blinding, they would put the sun itself to shame, it hurt so bad to look at them. What is this pain my chest? My chest it's tightening, Aah! The pain it's too much! I let out a roar of pain transforming quickly into anger, it's been decades since I've felt anger; even longer since I've felt anger for Cole, the stars held a connection with him that much I could tell, nevertheless the pain they brought me, he should know how it hurts to look at them. He has a connection with something that hurts me so, although I had forgiven him for whatever connections he had with them. The anger was still there boiling at the colt; he stared aloofly at the stars.

"WHY!?" I shouted at him.

"Why, what lancer?"

"Why did you let them die?" Tears were welling in my eyes as I spoke to Cole. my mind grasping at reasons to shout at Cole as the sentence escaped my lips I remembered the times that I saw him last, at the funerals of each of my lovers watching them get buried in the dirt each and every time someone close to me died he would appear long enough to mourn but he would quickly disappears before I could talk to him, it always rained the days they died and when they were buried the world was assured rain 3 times in winter 3 times in fall 3 times in spring and 3 times in summer, reminders to me and anyone that still remembers them of the tragedies that happened on those days. I turned my head back to the stars tears welling in my eyes. Once again, my heart is shattering looking at those stars why did it hurt to look at the stars.

"I couldn't do anything about that, but I can tell you it still hurts to look at them. Not so bad, because I know what's coming, but the pain is still there. I can only imagine how much it hurts you looking at the stars I created for the passing of your loved ones. Gifts they asked me to give you so you could never forget them. I wonder if they know how much it hurts you just to come out of that cave and see them in the night sky." Cole looked up at the stars. Turning my head to look at him there was an expression that I could not identify formed on his face, somber eyes but with a tight and taught mouth with no facial expression given, it was painful to look at, almost as painful as my shattering heart.

"Those stars, my friends asked you to make them?" looking back at the stars, they seemed to gain color. There it is, the hurt, but there's something else something warm. I feel tired my eyes are getting heavy. The flame blast must have sucked me dry I usually recover by now.

"Yeah lancer, don't ever forget they loved you from the bottom of their hearts, but to tell you that they loved you is not why I'm here, nor is it to give you comfort at the end. You know I don't work like that. I'm here for a different reason." Cole looked at me his eyes changing from a pained expression to one of happiness. "Now then to explain your situation in a nut shell, what would you do to live with them again?" a question that I ask myself every day. In my eons of existence, I have asked myself what I would do to be with them again and my answer has always been the same.

"What wouldn't I do?" My answer was true there was nothing I wouldn't do to be with them again, nothing in this great world could separate me from them and soon I would be with them again.

"Good. now then you have limited time in this world, and usually it would take you a thousand years just to be eligible for rebirth, but if you are willing to forget everything, for a little while, I could make your rebirth process instantaneous you'll wake up a dragon with everyone you ever loved not that far away but there is a condition." He was mocking me this was just a horse what could he do for me in death, but still it was a chance to be with them again, I stayed with them till the very end, I could wait for the beginning.

"What is your condition?"

"You get no rest; the moment you die, the exact second you die you wake up as another dragon, a whole new life you will be thrust into without a moment of respite." those weren't bad terms. Living waiting, standing still after they died that is true torture. Maybe these are lenient rules for a dragon that has suffered too long.

"That is fine, but I have a request if possible?" I asked hope in my voice but my body was screeching in pain, the thought of what I was asking scared it. Still wanting to cling to life even at the end when the mind and soul are ready. I had to distract myself focus on the warm feeling building in my gut. I had forgotten what it was, the love I shared for them was still there even a thousand years after their passing, and I could still feel the warmth, it strengthen my resolve.

"If it was in my power I could do it." the pained look appeared again that's all that I could identify it was a look of pain but it seemed deeper his eyes no longer somber they showed complete depression, his once tight and taught face slumped into a frown.

"Assure me when I am born again that after they pass I will not be long behind, they may refuse and say I must live my life but my life is with them, tell them the torture it is to live and not have the ones you love so close, allow me this request even if they refuse, it is a choice I made and will continue to make." It was a difficult request or it would have been; Cole has buried many friends; even more, he has had to kill himself. A smile spread on his face it was infectious, I started laughing.

"No prob that's what I would expect from you lancer the dragon that lived among ponies the dragon that fell in love with ponies." he began to laugh, loving the revelry. "Completely preposterous! I had never seen anything like it, amazing a true miracle. And I don't say that lightly." Cole lied he didn't believe in miracles he says he has lived too long to see an impossible event.

"That's a nice sentiment, it would mean more if you meant it. What's this thing you say that could bring me back?" the question nagged at my mind how could this horse help me?

"Oh Lancer, you should see it now, what I truly am." Cole began to flicker his jacket began to fade replaced by a cloak of black flames the darkness of it, it should be suffocating me but looking into it, it is a calming flame my pain and fears gone the warmth of love began to flow into me. For the first time since I met him I see Cole's cutie mark a skull with a dual scythe behind it most would be terrified of the sight but it was welcoming to me. A few more moments and I would be with them I pray that I can love and help them all.

"Lancer, look into the sky let your last sight be what they left for you." Cole placed his hove on my snout and single-handed raised my head to the sky. I suddenly didn't have the energy to lift it. The stars they were beautiful, there wasn't another word for them, six stars in a perfect hexagon each shone a different color one purple with a slight pink in it, looking at it a tear fought its way into my eye as I recalled the first one to ever love me her purple fur and mane flashed into my head, another a pure white with blue splashed in, my first love it took a while but she returned that love ten folds, a smile crept on my face at the thought of her marshmallow white fur with her deep purple mane, an orange one, a feisty attitude and honest behavior shot into my mind she was the strongest of them and the hardest worker, a yellow one this shined the least brightest as if it was a shy light, a sense of protection and kindness flowed through me she was docile but had a dominant side to her, there was a full pink one that shone brightest of them all overflowing with energy, thoughts of fun and laughter filled my head, and a rainbow one glowing a constant and bright light, pride and resolve flashed into my mind, the stars looked beautiful and each held an emotion in them each held memories in them none but me could feel them but they were there, they were the greatest feeling looking up I remember the pain but now that it's the end nothing but joy filled me the world seem to grow darker as if fading away I knew I was dying nearing the end of my cycle my head was bobbing a little a sniffing noise could be heard under me this was a miracle Cole crying I let the darkness overtake me the stars the last thing I wished to see. Looking closer as all I could see around me faded me found there was a hole in the center of hexagon not a single star shone in the center as if every start behind them had been pushed out of the way to make room for a new arrival maybe.

"At least they will have the full 7." my last joke in this life as I let a small chuckle escape.

Cole P.O.V.

UGH MMPH don't cry not now wait for him to go he's at peace, let him enjoy the lights at least for a bit more. My tears flowed freely as I could feel Lancer slip away his soul laid bare before my eyes. I see death on a daily basis they say you grow used to it, death never really affects you, unless it's you or someone you know, and I know each and every last person animal and pony in this great big world I never get used to it never will get used to it and Lancer was a close friend taking his 6 closest was the hardest thing I ever had to do I sat there faring them to their destination to where they belonged

"At least they will have the full 7." Lancer's last joke I could chuckle but after he disappears.

I laid his head down and watched as my closest friend lay beneath me. I laughed, laughed at the times I saw him screw up, at all the times he made me smile, at all the good times he and his friend spent with me... when did I start crying? I lifted my hove and waved it in front of lancers body his form was being lost his body turning transparent, until there was nothing left but an empty field in front of a cave, somewhere in this world there is a dragon egg being laid. I raise my head a tear falls down my face and I see a sight that was a true miracle there are seven stars in that perfect hexagon.

"I finally saw one." was all I could say as the rain rolled in you can cry in the rain so that no one knows difference.


End file.
